Los Angeles (dpa) – The non-profit group Invisible Children on Monday rejected criticism about its funding and advocacy, following the viral success of its YouTube film calling for the capture and prosecution of Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony. The video has been viewed more than 70 million times since it was posted last week. But critics have blasted the 30-minute StopKony film video as taking a simplistic view of the situation, focusing on past atrocities by Kony's Lord's Resistance Army, which is now thought to number fewer than 300 soldiers, and ignoring human right's abuses by of Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni. The film was also accused of focusing too much on the American director's young children rather than those who are suffering in the African conflict. The non-profit group was also criticized for allegedly using a high proportion of the money it raises for administrative expenses rather than on projects on the ground in Africa. “I understand why a lot of people are wondering, is this some slick, kind of fly-by-night, slacktivist thing, when actually it's not at all,” said Invisible Children CEO Ben Keesey in a video posted Monday. “The goal has always been the same, it's always been one thing and that's to stop the violence of the LRA permanently and help restore the war-affected communities,” he said. The charity organization has raised millions of dollars to bolster US awareness of the LRA largely by funding the free screening in schools of the film Invisible Children about victims of Kony's violence. Keesey said that those films were part of the foundation's media strategy, while the group also worked on mass advocacy campaigns and development projects on the ground in central Africa. “Any claims that we do not have financial transparency or that we're not audited every year by an independent firm or that we don't have financial integrity just aren't true,” Keesey said. Invisible Children says it spent 80.46 per cent on programs in 2011, 16.24 per cent on administration and management costs and 3.22 per cent on direct fundraising. Keesey also noted that “audited financial statements, tax returns and our annual report” are all available online for viewing and download. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/fce4s Tags: Film, Invisible Children, Kony Section: East Africa, Entertainment, Latest News
